“[It] wasn’t the funniest issue they ever did, but it would turn out to be incredibly successful because it reflected so many of the emotions that people were feeling after the attacks. The sorrow, the anger, the utter helplessness — all of this was captured by one headline or another, giving most everyone in the audience something to identify with. … Now, nearly 20 years later, the issue is widely considered to be an important part of comedy history — even an important part of the broader cultural history surrounding 9/11.” – Mel
Tag: 06.29.20
Flamboyant Organ Virtuoso (And Flamboyant Hedonist) Jane Parker-Smith Dead At 70
“[She] brought glamour to the organ console thanks to her extraordinary dexterity at the keyboard and her love of life in the fast lane: she swore like a trooper, drank like a fish, smoked like a chimney and played the organ like a woman possessed.” – The Telegraph (UK)
Why This Medical School Is Using Artworks To Teach Diagnostics
Stephen Russell at the University of Alabama at Birmingham developed the course “Prescribing Art: How Observation Enhances Medicine” to teach students to slow down and observe without worrying about the pressures of the examination room (it turns out that Mary Cassatt was excellent at capturing the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis), but also to spot students’ own biases and teach them (as Russell puts it) “the tolerance of ambiguity.” – Artnet
Addressing Dancers’ Biggest Worries About Coming Back From Coronavirus
Natalia Boesch: “Living-room ballet has always been a big part of my life, whether I was working out choreographic ideas or just giving myself barre. But, as I write this, living-room ballet is all we’ve had for weeks. That changes everything. I know that, for my students and other young dancers, fears about what they might lose due to the COVID-19 shutdown may be overwhelming. Below are some big-picture thoughts addressing those concerns, and a few suggestions for making the best of a frustrating situation.” – Pointe Magazine
What To Do With All Those Dead Malls? Make Housing
Shifts in consumer behavior have been gnawing away at the classic enclosed suburban mall format for many years; then the pandemic completely upended in-person shopping. Converting commercial real estate to housing may be the best use of land in such an over-retailed country. Big shopping centers tend to be centrally located and connected to transit. – Bloomberg
Report: UK Publications Publish Twice As Much Poetry By Writers Of Color Than They Did In 2009
Between 2009 and 2016, the newspapers and poetry magazines published review articles by non-white critics 190 times – 4% of the total for those years. Between 2017 and 2019, non-white critics were published 201 times – 9.6% of the total. – The Guardian
Independent Presses Are Starting To See Sales Rebound
Independent presses around the country said that sales are starting to rebound after two months of declines, due to direct sales, digital initiatives, and a resurgence in demand for topical frontlist and backlist titles. – Publishers Weekly
Entertainment Industry Lobbies Congress For Aid
“Without it, production — especially independent production — cannot resume on a significant level. We urge Congress to develop a program of federal insurance (or guarantee to fill this gap) to cover pandemic-related business losses in the future.” – Variety
In Europe, Festivals Are Reinventing As Drive-Ins
Scandinavia is taking the most innovative approach to the notion of the drive-in festival. Between August 21 and 26, in the Swedish town of Karlskrona, the Carl International Film Festival will have 30 boat-in screenings. Taking place in the Salto Fish Harbour with two LED screens, up to 100 boats will be allowed in, drawing attendees from around 1,600 nearby islands, with food delivered to boats from harbourside restaurants. – Forbes
Cirque Du Soleil Files For Bankruptcy Protection, Lays Off 3,500 Employees
The global circus giant was struggling with an estimated $900 million in debt (much of it incurred by acquiring other companies) even before the pandemic hit and ended all ticket income. In exchange for restructuring and reducing that debt, three of the existing owners have agreed to recapitalize Cirque with $300 million, and the government of Quebec will provide a backup guarantee in order to keep the company’s worldwide headquarters in Montreal. – CBC